Tuesday, January 13, 2015

The original building at 350 DeGraw Street. (image credit: Google.com)

Photo of new construction at 350 DeGraw Street in April 2014

Façade without a building: 350 DeGraw Street in April 2014

In January 2015

You may remember the long construction saga of 350 DeGraw Street between Court and Smith Street.

Since the spring of 2014, only the brick façade of a new building had been erected. The rest of the walls were missing entirely. Though in the past few months, the building has been nearing completion, problems with the NYC Department of Buildings have persisted.

It all started in May 2013, when D.o.B. issued permits for alterations to the existing three story brick building to a four story building. However, instead of enlarging the existing structure, the entire building was demolished.

Though the DoB received several 311 calls in regards to the illegal demolition, the agency did not act until the structure had been entirely dismantled and the new façade was going up.

By October 2013, the Department issued a 'notice to revoke' the permit and several violations were noted, including one violation for demolition work that did not conform to original plans.

In addition, a complete stop-work-order was imposed because the percentage of existing walls remaining was less than what had been indicated on the approved plans. In addition, the existing foundation wall had been undermined and had become unstable.

That Stop Work Order was partially rescinded by DoB to allow installation of a waterproofing membrane on the adjoining building and to backfill the excavated foundation.

However, trouble continued at the site. Throughout 2014, more stop work orders and violations were issued for "work without permit" as well as "missing sections of construction fence, no protection of adjacent rear yards, as well as insufficient bracing and shoring."